Fastening for mail-bags



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

J. HELLINGS.

. PASTBNING FOR MAIL BAGS.

Paten-ted Dec. 27, 1887.

LA- if E e .E F T i (No Model.)

J. HELLINGS.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Y PASTENING FOR. MAIL BAGS. No. 375,551.

Patented 1366.27, 1887.

HQ. 3 l2 j" N4 PETERS, PhUvLthngnphnr, Washington, 5.0.

UNITED STATES PATENT Orricn.

JOHN HELLINGS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

FASTENING FOR MAIL-BAGS.

SPECIFICATION forming pari: of Letters Patent N o. 375,551. dated December 27, 1887.

Application filed November 9, 1887. Serial No. 254.712. (No model.)

la side view ofthe upper portion of a mail-bag with my improved fastening, looking in the direction of the arrow l, Fig. 3. Fig. 2 is a side View looking in the direction of the arrow 2, Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view on the line l 2, Fig. l, showing the bag closed. Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view of the bag open. Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional plan view on the line l 2, Fig. l, of the end of the bag.

Fig. 6 is a detached perspective view of parts of my invention. Fig. 7 is an enlarged transverse section on the line 3 4t, Fig. 2. Figs. 8 and 9 are enlarged diagram views illustrating the fastening of the bag. Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the face of the lock. Fig. 11 is a sectional view of the lock, and Fig. 12 is a modification of my invention. Fig. 13 is a View of the key.

I have illustrated my invention as adapted to mail-bags; but it will be understood that it can be applied to trunks, valises, and like articles as well.

A is the lower portion of a mail-bag, secured `to the mouth-piece B by rivets or like fastenings.

D, as shown in Fig. 6, is a cable about the length of the bag, and secured to this cable at certain distances apart are a series of enlargements, d, adapted to a series of bearings, E, secured atintervals along one side ofthe mouth of the bag.

F is a series of plates having lips forming openings f, the mouths f of these openings being less in diameter than the opening itself. These plates are secured to the opposite sides of the bag, and so spaced that they will fit between t-he series of bearings E, as shown in Fig. 3. The openings f of the plates F are .bag together.

the same diameter as the enlargements d on the cable D; but the mouths f of the openings are contracted and are a trifle larger than the cable itself, so that when the bag is being closed from the position shown in Figs. 4 and ments d will pass into the openingsfin the plates F, thus fastening the two sides of the The cable is provided at each end with suitable pull-chains, g g', or may be provided with handles, as desired.

At one end of the bag is a suitable lock, H, having a bolt, h, which when forced out, as shown inFig. 5, rests in front of one of the enlargements d of the cable,preventing the withdrawal or longitudinal movement of the cable. This lock may be of ordinary construction; but I prefer to make it in the form shown in Figs. l0 and 11, in which the lock is adapted to receive a seal, as fully described hereinafter.

At the rear of the bag is a tag-holder, I, grooved to receive a tag, t', as shown in Figs. 2 and 7. A bolt, J, adapted to slide in one end of the tag-holder, is acted upon by one of the bearings E, which, when the bag is closed, will force this boltacross the opening or slot in the tag-holder I and prevent the removal of the tag when the bag is closed; but as soon as the bag is opened the bolt can be pressed in clear of the slot and the tag removed and replaced by another tag, if necessary.

The cable may have at one end a hasp, K, as shown in Fig. 12, adapted to fit over a staple, lo, on the bag. In this view I have shown the bag provided with a flap, L, and the bearings E secured to the bag andthe plates F secured to the edge of the flap, the same result being attained as in the form described above. The tag-holder J is slotted the same as in the former bag, and in place of the pin J, I form on the under side of the hasp Kalug, 1,Which passes in front of the opening in the tag-holder the bag and to the end cable-bearing, E', preferably by screws, so that it can be removed IOU and repaired when necessary, the screws being inserted from the inside of the bag.

3 is the face-plate of the lock, having a circular recess, 4, in which is the key hole or Slot 5. In this recess 4 rests a ring, 6, having an arm, 7, to which is attached the bolt 71,. A spring, S, tends to keep the ring 6 in the recess et and the bolt in the position shown in Fig. 5. The bolt has a pin, 9, adapted to a cam-groove, 10, in a sleeve, 11, having one of its bearings in the plate 2. Resting in this sleeve is a hub, 12, having the key-slots for the reception of a flat key. (Shown in Fig. 13.) This-l1ub has a three-armed pawl, 13, pivoted thereto, one arm of which is depressed by a spring, 14. Another arm, 15, is adapted to be acted upon by the end of the key, forcing the arm 16 into a longitudinal slot in the key. The object of this pawl is to prevent the introduction of a fiat piece of metal into the recess, which is not provided with this slot. Vhen the cam on the sleeve l1 raises the bolt h, a spring-pawl, 17, pivoted to the casing, drops under a pin,18, on the bolt, holding the bolt in a raised position.

When it is required to make the bag as water-proof as possible, the lips s of one side of the bag may pass over the lips s on the opposite side of the bag, as shown in Figs. S and 9, thus not only making a tight joint, but also coinplctely hiding the bearings and plates from vlew.

The operation of opening and closing the bag is as follows: To open the bag the key is insertedin thelock, breaking theseal. The key is then turned, raising the bolt handseal-ring 6, and the cable is moved lengthwise by pulling on the chain g, which forces the end enlargement d of the cable past the bolt, keeping it in a raised position. rIhe key can then be removed. By the longitudinal movement the plates F are freed from the control of the enlargements d of the cable D and the bag can be opened. To close the bag the sides are placed together, so that the lips of the plates F will pass over the cable, after which the cable is moved longitudinally by pulling` on the chain g. A seal is first put in the recess 4 over the key-hole, and when the end enlargement d passes the bolt h the bolt drops back of the enlargement and the seal-ring locks the seal in the recess 4, preventing any tampering with the lock without first breaking the seal.

The cable may be made of chain or any flexible material that will stand the wear; but I prefer to use the wire cable, as shown.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination, in a fastening device, of a series of bearings carried by one part of the article to be fastened, a series of lockingplatcs carried by the other part and alternating with the bearings, said locking-plates having openings with contracted mouths, and a locking-rod movable in the bearings and having portions for passing through the contracted mouths of the locking-plates, and other portions of larger size for engaging with the openings therein, allsubstantially as speciiicd.

2. The combination, in a fastening device, of a series of bearings carried by one part of the article to be fastened, a series of lockingplates carried by the other part and alternating with the bearings, said locking-plates having openings with contracted mouths, the looking-bolt movable in the bearings and having portions for passing through the contracted mouths of the locking-plates, and other portions of larger size for engaging with the openings therein, and a lock the bolt of which engages with and prevents movement of the locking-rod when the latter is in locking position, all substantially as specified.

3. The combination, in a fastening, of the bearings carried by one part of the article to be fastened, the locking-plates carried by the other part and alternating with the bearings, the locking-rod carried by the bearings and having portions engaging with said lockingplates, a lock having a bolt for engaging with the locking-rod, and a seal-retainer carried by said bolt, all substantially as specified.

4. The combination, in a bag-fastening, of the bearings on one side of the mouth of the bag, the locking-plates alternating with the bearings and located on the other side of said mouth, both bearings and locking-plates being below the top of the mouth, the locking-rod carried by the bearings and having portions .engaging with said locking-plates, and lips located above the locking-plates and bearings and constructed to meet or overlap when the bag is closed, all substantially as speciiied.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN HELLINGS. NVitnesses:

Jas. L. SKIDMORE, HENRY HoWsoN.

IOO 

